• Resources,  Voiceover Industry

    2021 Voiceover Christmas Gift Guide

    If you’re anything like me, you love giving gifts. If you’re anything like my husband, you have no idea what to get! So I wanted to take the time to compile a list of items that are absolutely perfect for the voiceover artist in your life.

    Note: none of these links are affiliate links, I just like sharing the things I love! Plus they’re all budget-friendly.

    Books

    Voiceovers: A Super Business ∙ A Super Life: The cozy stressful beautiful harried awesome funny magically super life of a mild-mannered Voiceover Businessman by Joshua Alexander

    This is the first book in a trilogy of books Josh has written about the VO business. All three would make wonderful gifts, but the first one is a must-have. Plus, Josh is one of the kindest, most generous people in the business.

    Voiceover Achiever: Brand your VO career. Change your life. by Celia Siegel

    Celia is THE expert on voiceover branding. This book will 100% change your life and your career.

    How to Succeed in Voice-Overs: Without Ever Losing by Jack Angel

    I learned an amazing lesson from Jack that’s had a huge impact on my mindset. “The audition is the job.” I take every audition as seriously as if it were in front of a director or in a fancy studio with a producer.

    Clothing

    VOpreneur t-shirts: Every VO artist is the CEO of their own business. Show it off!

    I’m Only Talking to My Mic Today t-shirt: If your VO artist is an introvert, this is definitely the shirt for them!

    Voiceover t-shirt: Because we all get paid to talk to ourselves in a padded room!

    Equipment

    Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 80 Ohm Over-Ear Studio Headphones in Gray

    These are the headphones I’ve had for years and they are so comfortable!

    Rode NT1KIT Cardioid Condenser Microphone Package

    I recently upgraded to this mic, and it’s a definite step up for me. There are good mics both above and below this price point, but I really enjoy this one.

    Miscellaneous Gifts

    Vintage Microphone Patent Image Print

    I would love to have this hanging in my booth!

    Yoda Best Voice Actor Mug

    Isn’t this just the cutest?!

    Funny Voiceover Mug

    Perfect mug is perfect.

  • Resources

    Five Voiceover Resources You Need When Getting Started

    There is a ton of information out there – both good and bad – if you Google for voiceover resources. I’ve gone down some rabbit holes I wish I hadn’t, spent some money I wish I hadn’t, and wished I’d spent more time looking for recommendations from trusted sources. 

    So today is your lucky day! I’m going to give you a short list of some of my favorite resources that have helped me in my own journey from someone who knew absolutely nothing about voiceover two years ago to someone who now gets paid to use her voice.

    1. The Voice Acting Mastery Podcast by Crispin Freeman. This is the first VO thing that became a “must” in my life. When I discovered Crispin’s podcast, I really hadn’t done much more than Google “what is voiceover?”. And I promptly binge listened to all 100+ episodes. He has a wonderful mix of practical advice, Q&A’s, and interviews with some of the biggest names in voiceover. This is one podcast that you do not want to miss.

    2. The Everyday VOPreneur Podcast by Marc Scott. This is a newer one to me; I only discovered it a few months ago, but just like I did with Crispin’s podcast, I’ve started listening to every episode. I’m not caught up yet, but soon! Marc’s focus is on the business of voiceover. He’s not going to tell you how to mark up a script or set up your home studio, but he will tell you what not to do when getting business cards made or help you figure out how to best structure your time.

    3. Voiceovers: A Super Business ∙ A Super Life: The cozy stressful beautiful harried awesome funny magically super life of a mild-mannered Voiceover Businessman by Joshua Alexander. I learned about Josh at last year’s Once Voice Conference. I was fortunate to get into his marketing workshop after his session, and I quickly realized that his book would be a wonderful tool in my arsenal. When I got it, I devoured it. Josh’s philosophy is that he is a businessman who does voiceovers rather than the other way around, but he gives some amazing perspective on your VO business.

    4. Gravy for the Brain. While membership to GFTB is not a substitute for actual coaching, it is a wonderful supplement to your voiceover education. You get access to hundreds of webinars (both live and their recorded library), forums, mentorship, social networking, and so much more.

    5. Universal Voice Talent. When I was searching for a coach, I looked at many many options. From “big box” type deals to very specialized and niche individual coaching. I ended up feeling most comfortable with Terry Daniel and his amazing team of coaches. I’ve had individual sessions with Terry, Mike Elmore, Jan Anderson, and Trish Basanyi. My home studio was evaluated. My demos were written and produced by this phenomenal team. Not to mention, there is a robust Facebook community of Terry’s students as well as lifetime access to monthly group classes!

    This list is by no means exhaustive, but if you’re looking for more information on getting started in the voiceover industry, then this is definitely the list for you. Don’t be like me and start with misinformation and wasted time.